South Africans will know in 60 days whether ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule or any other member of the ruling party were involved in the formation of break-away parties ahead of general elections in May.

The ANC national working committee has tasked former president Kgalema Motlanthe and party veteran Frene Ginwala with investigating whether some party members were involved in forming break-away parties to weaken its stronghold ahead of elections. Media reports have linked Magashule with the formation of the African Transformation Movement (ATM) along with former president Jacob Zuma.

The Sunday Times reported that South African Council of Messianic Churches general-secretary Buyisile Ngqulwana had alleged, in an affidavit, that Magashule and Zuma played a critical role in the formation of ATM.